Don Johnson

Acting

Don Johnson

Born
(age 76)
Birthplace
Flat Creek, Missouri, USA
Credits
131 titles

Biography

Donald Wayne Johnson (born December 15, 1949) is an American actor, producer, director, singer, and songwriter. He's best known for his role as Det. James "Sonny" Crockett in the 1980s television series Miami Vice, winning a Golden Globe for his work in the role.

In 1984, after more then a decade of acting on television, Johnson landed a starring role as undercover police detective Sonny Crockett in the Michael Mann/Universal Television cop series, Miami Vice (1984-1990). Miami Vice made him "a major international star." According to Rolling Stone, "No one had more swagger in the Reagan era than Don Johnson."

His work on Miami Vice earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Drama, in 1986, and he was nominated for the same award in 1987. He was also nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1985. Between seasons on Miami Vice, he gained further renown through TV miniseries such as the 1985 remake of The Long, Hot Summer. In 1996, he had a supporting role in Tin Cup, along with Kevin Costner, Rene Russo, and Cheech Marin. Johnson received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1996.

He later starred in the 1996–2001 CBS-TV police drama Nash Bridges with Cheech Marin, Jeff Perry, Jaime P. Gomez, Kelly Hu, Wendy Moniz, Annette O'Toole, Jodi Lyn O'Keefe as his daughter Cassidy, and James Gammon as his father Nick.

In October 2010, he began appearing on the HBO series Eastbound & Down, playing Kenny Powers' long-lost father, going by the alias "Eduardo Sanchez." He also reprised his role as Sonny Crockett for a Nike commercial with LeBron James in which the NBA player contemplates acting and appears alongside Johnson on Miami Vice.

He had a supporting role in the 2012 Quentin Tarantino film Django Unchained, playing a southern plantation owner named Spencer "Big Daddy" Bennett. In 2014, Johnson starred as the character "Jim Bob" opposite Sam Shepard and Michael C. Hall in Jim Mickle's critically acclaimed crime film, Cold in July. In 2014, he had a supporting role in the film The Other Woman as Cameron Diaz's character's father. In 2015, Johnson began starring in the ABC prime time soap opera Blood & Oil.

In 2018, he starred as the character of Arthur, the love interest of Vivian, played by Jane Fonda in Bill Holderman's romantic-comedy Book Club. In 2019, Johnson played the role of Richard Drysdale in Rian Johnson's murder-mystery Knives Out; and starred as Police Chief Judd Crawford in the HBO series Watchmen.

In 2021, he co-starred on Kenan, until its cancellation in May 2022. He also appeared in a Nash Bridges television film, with co-star Cheech Marin, on the USA Network in 2021.

Signature work

Known For

Acting credits 129

YearTitleRole
TBA Encore Film
TBA Southern Discomfort TV Bob Dobson (1 ep)
2026 Soap Fever Film Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2026 Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of America TV Doc Holliday (1 ep)
2024 Doctor Odyssey TV Captain Robert Massey (18 ep)
2024 Unit 234 Film Jules
2024 Rebel Ridge Film Chief Sandy Burnne
2023 The Collective Film Liam
2023 Book Club: The Next Chapter Film Arthur
2023 A Little White Lie Film T. Wasserman
2023 Commitment to Life Film Self (archive footage)
2022 High Heat Film Ray
2021 Nash Bridges Film Nash Bridges
2021 Kenan TV Rick (19 ep)
2020 Home Movie: The Princess Bride TV Prince Humperdinck (1 ep)
2019 Knives Out Film Richard Drysdale
2019 Watchmen TV Judd Crawford (9 ep)
2019 Vault Film Gerry
2019 Dragged Across Concrete Film Chief Lt. Calvert
2018 Book Club Film Arthur
2017 Sick Note TV Kenny West (6 ep)
2017 Brawl in Cell Block 99 Film Warden Tuggs
2017 Vengeance: A Love Story Film Jay Kirkpatrick
2017 A Series of Unfortunate Events TV Sir (2 ep)
2016 Andy Warhol, Fluorescent Film (archive footage)
2015 Blood & Oil TV Hap Briggs (10 ep)
2015 Alex of Venice Film Roger
2014 Cold in July Film Jim Bob
2014 The Other Woman Film Frank
2014 TripTank TV Johnny Bahama (voice) (1 ep)
2014 From Dusk Till Dawn: Making the First Season Film
2014 From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series TV Earl McGraw (10 ep)
2014 Late Night with Seth Meyers TV Self, Self - Guest (1 ep)
2013 Blood of 1000 Virgins Film Self (archive footage)
2012 Django Unchained Film Spencer "Big Daddy" Bennett
2011 Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star Film Miles Deep
2011 A Good Old Fashioned Orgy Film Jerry Keppler (uncredited)
2011 WWE: DX: One Last Stand Film Self (archive footage)
2010 Conan TV Self (1 ep)
2010 Machete Film Von Jackson
2010 When in Rome Film Beth's Dad
2009 Glenn Martin, DDS TV Grandpa Whitey (voice) (1 ep)
2009 Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen TV Self - Guest (2 ep)
2009 Eastbound & Down TV Eduardo Sanchez (5 ep)
2008 Torno a vivere da solo Film Nico
2008 Long Flat Balls II Film Admiral Burnett
2008 Bastardi Film Sante Patene'
2007 Moondance Alexander Film Dante
2007 The Graham Norton Show TV Self - Guest (1 ep)
2005 Just Legal TV Grant Cooper (9 ep)
2005 Pennis from Heaven Film Self
2004 Larry presents: Best of The 80s Film Self
2003 Word of Honor Film Benjamin Tyson
2003 Prachtig 80: Volume 2 Film Self
2003 The Ellen DeGeneres Show TV Self (1 ep)
2003 Jimmy Kimmel Live! TV Self - Guest (3 ep)
2002 NBC 75th Anniversary Special Film Self
2001 Richard & Judy TV Self (1 ep)
2001 Friday Night with Jonathan Ross TV Self (1 ep)
2001 Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy Film Self (archive footage)

Crew credits 6

YearTitleJob
2024 Unit 234 Film Executive Producer
2021 Nash Bridges Film Executive Producer
1995 The Marshal TV Director, Executive Producer (1 ep)
1993 In the Company of Darkness Film Executive Producer
1987 Heartbeat Film Writer, Executive Producer, Songs
1984 Miami Vice TV Director, Songs (4 ep)
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